Arrow brake and indicator devices



June 20, 1961 R. A. LAMOND ARROW BRAKE AND INDICATOR DEVICES Filed Sept.25, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

2055,97- ,4, ZAMO/VO United States Patent 2 989,310 ARROW BRAKEINDICATOR DEVIFES Robert A. Lamond, 745 Durant St, Lansing, Mich. FiledSept. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 842,356 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-1065) This inventionrelates to combined brake and indicator devices for arrows.

The primary object of the invention is to provide devices of the kindindicated which, when installed on arrows, serve to arrest completepenetration of the arrows through the body of game shot with the arrows,so that the arrows are caused to remain lethally in the body and therebygive clearly visible evidence of penetration of a body and of thewhereabouts of the arrows, which would otherwise pass completely throughthe body and become diflicult to find, as in thick brush.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and efficientdevices of the character indicated above, which attachments are readilyapplied to and removed from arrows, and which do not perceptibly alterthe flight trajectories or accuracy of arrows.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a contracted side elevation of an arrow equipped with adevice of the invention, the device being shown in full lines in itsinitial position at the head or point of the arrow, and in anintermediate, and in a final indicating position, in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevation, taken at right angles to FIGURE 1,of the head or point of the arrow, showing the device in its initial orstarting position thereat;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevation taken at right angles to FIGURE 1,of the feather-equipped end of the arrow, showing the device compressingthe feathers so as to halt passage of the arrow through a body;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE Sis a perspective view of another device of the invention; and vFIGURE 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 ofFIGURE 5.

Referring in, detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numeralsdesignate like and related parts throughout the several views, and firstto FIGURES l to 4, the numeral 10 generally designates a substantiallyconventional bow-show game-hunting arrow, having a shaft 12 having asharpened triangular head or point 14 secured on its forward end, andguide vanes on its rear end, here shown as being three circumferentiallyspaced, normally resilient feathers 16. Installed on the arrow shaft 12is a device of the invention, generally designated 18.

The device 18, which can be made of lightweight metal, plastic or othersuitable material, comprises a longitudinally elongated sleeve 20, whosebore 22 is not substantially larger in diameter than the arrow shaft onwhich the device is to be installed. To be adaptable to arrow shafts ofdifferent diameters, the sleeve 20 can be made resilient and belongitudinally split, as indicated at 24, in which case, suitablesleeve-contracting means is used on the sleeve, such as a wrapping ofadhesive tape 26, which is drawn tight enough only to contract thesleeve diametrically to be freely slidable along the arrow shaft 12. Inaid of unobstructed rearward sliding of the sleeve 20 along the arrowshaft, the sleeve is chamfered, bevelled, or rounded internally at itsrear end, as indicated at 28.

Fixed on the sleeve 20 and extending forwardly therefrom, at an acuteoutward angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 20 and thearrow shaft 12, is a thin, rigid spike 30. With the device 18 installedon the arrow shaft 12 in its initial or starting position, wherein thesleeve 20 is directly behind and preferably abuts the rear end of thehead or point 14, the spike 30 is long enough to reach forwardlyalongside of the head or point, to a point spaced rearwardly from theforward end 32 of the head or point 14, as seen in FIGURES l and 2. Thespike 30 is preferably tapered forwardly to a sharp point or tip 34, andof uniform cross-section, such as round or square. Securement of thespike 30 to the sleeve 20 can be effected in different ways, as byfixation thereof to the outer side of the sleeve, as indicated at 36,which arrangement would be especially appropriate andfeasible in thecase of the device 18 being formed of molded plastic.

With the device 18 in the above described initial or starting position,and the arrow being shot from a bow at power sufficient to producecomplete penetration of the arrow into the body of game aimed at, thehead 14 and shaft 12 of the arrow penetrate the body in the usual wayand the spike 30 of the device 18 becomes impaled in the body and movesrearwardly along the arrow shaft 12, and in so doing, because of theoutward canting of the spike 30 relative to the sleeve 20, the spike 30diverges further away from the arrow shaft 12, so as to tilt the spike30 on the arrow shaft and move the sleeve rearwardly along the arrowshaft, as the device 18 reaches the feathers and starts to moverearwardly over the feathers 16. Because the feathers 16 are rearwardlyflared, the further rearwardly the device 18 is thus moved, the morefeathers are compressed within the sleeve 20, until the sleeve 20becomes wedged on the feathers .and is arrested by the resulted brakingaction, and the device becomes jammed in the body and stops the arrowfrom passing through the body.

Further, in the event of a complete miss of a target, and passage of thearrow 10 through brush, grass, or trees, the spike 30 of the device 18will pick up, and jam between itself and the arrow shaft 12 and thesleeve 20, sutficient vegetation: to render the arrow more readilyvisible, for recovery, than otherwise. Further, the tearing and/orpulling action of the spike 30 as it may pass through bushes and'thelike, can leave a readily visible trail therethrough as a guide torecovery of the arrow 10, and, in the case of complete penetrationthrough an ani' mal, leave a visible trail of blood.

For holding the device 18 releasably in its initial or startingposition, at the head of the arrow 10, with sufficient tenacity topreclude vagrant rearwardly displacement of the device 18, retainingmeans, such as a short length of adhesive tape 38 can be adhered to thesleeve 20, at its forward end 40, and to the arrow shaft 12 forwardly ofthe device, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, and generallydesignated 18a, comprise a split sleeve 20a, generally similar to thatof the device of FIGURES l to 4, which is internally rounded, asindicated at 28a, at its rear end, and a spike 30a. The spike 30adiffers from that of FIGURES 1 to 4 in being of flat rectangularcross-section whose main plane is radial to the sleeve 20a. Replacingthe retaining tape 38 of the device of FIGURES 65 l to 4, is a leafspring 38a which is fixed to the sleeve 30:: between the split 24a andthe spike 30a and extends forwardly beyond the forward end 40:: of thesleeve, and tensioned inwardly to bias against an arrow shaft.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of theinvention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarilyconfined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of andin the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated asbeing within the scope of the invention as defined by the claimsappended hereto.

, What is claimed is:

, 1. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers comprising a sleeve which is conformably shaped to a size notsubstantially larger in diameter than said shaft and which is expansibleslidably circumposed on the shaft and initially positioned on the shaftat said point, a spike fixed on the sleeve and extending forwardly fromthe sleeve, and retaining means on said sleeve and releasably engagedwith said shaft for resisting sliding movement of said sleeve.

2. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acuate lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a strip of adhesive tape adhered to the sleeve and to thearrow shaft at a point forwardly of the sleeve.

3. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acute lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a strip of adhesive tape adhered to the sleeve and to thearrow shaft at a point forwardly of the sleeve, said spike to define apoint on the forward end of the spike.

4. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acute lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a strip of adhesive tape adhered to the sleeve and to thearrow shaft at a point forwardly of the sleeve, said spike to define apoint on the forward end of the spike, said spike being of symmetricalcross-section.

5. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acute lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a strip of adhesive tape adhered to the sleeve and to thearrow shaft at a point forwardly of the sleeve, said spike to define apoint on the forward end of the spike, said spike being of flatrectangular cross-section.

6. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acute lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a strip of adhesive tape adhered to the sleeve and to thearrow shaft at a point forwardly of the sleeve, said spike to define apoint on the forward end of the spike, said spike being of fiatrectangular cross-section, with its main plane radial to the sleeve.

7. In combination, an arrow having a shaft having a piercing point onits forward end and guide feathers at its rear end, a combined brake andindicator device mounted on the shaft between said point and saidfeathers, comprising a sleeve slidably circumposed on the shaft andinitially positioned on the shaft at said point, and a spike fixed onthe sleeve and extending forwardly from the sleeve, at an acute lateraland forward angle relative to the sleeve, and releasable retaining meanson said sleeve and secured to the arrow shaft, said retaining meanscomprising a leaf spring fixed on the sleeve and extending forwardlyfrom the sleeve, said spring being tensioned inwardly into engagementwith the arrow shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

